http://purplemoonmyst.blogspot.com/2008/06/novel-by-george-singleton-read-more.h... ( )

George Singleton is a nut and this is not a serious novel, and I mean that in more ways than one. The protagonist is named Novel (hence the title) and is writing his memoir and also the history of Gruel, South Carolina. Novel stumbles through the novel in an alcoholic haze - much of what he reports is questionable.

Singleton is the master of the comic short story and this novel reads exactly like one of his stories, just, you know, longer. Non-sequiturs and lists of unrelated objects are his techniques. Yes, it is funny at times. At other times it is tedious. And there is no plot, really, just a sequence of opportunities to introduce humorous Southern settings.

I’m going to the South Carolina Writer’s Conference this weekend, and he is one of the faculty. Hopefully I will get a chance to meet him in person and gauge for myself how crazy he really is.

www.samfsmith.com ( )

Not sure I quite understand the point of this book - what was the message? However, reading about the characters and places was entertaining enough. The story line was filled with action, twists and turns - but to a confused point. I don't think the reader really finds out what is going on. ( )